NFL to review challenge rule that cost the Detroit Lions

Houston Texans running back Justin Forsett (28) is hit by Detroit Lions free safety Louis Delmas (26) during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Houston Texans running back Justin Forsett (28) is hit by Detroit Lions free safety Louis Delmas (26) during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. Forsett scored an 81-yard touchdown run on the play. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Perhaps it was good that the Detroit Lions overtime loss to the Houston Texans was nationally televised.

That way fans across the country saw the results of a silly NFL rule that prevented a bogus Texans' touchdown from being reviewed and overturned.

That rule could be changed soon, even before the end of the season.

The league is expected to review the rule that negates an automatic review if a coach throws his red challenge flag, according to NFL executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson who talked to Mike Florio on the "Dan Patrick Show" on Friday. It was reported on ProFootballTalk.com.

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"I think there's some sentiment, Mike, that that may be too harsh," Anderson said on the show. "To not be able to review in those circumstances may be harsh, because at the end of the day the review process is intended to get it right."

Official NFL Playing Rule 15, Section 9, of the 2012 book of rules says: "If there is a foul that delays the next snap, the team committing that foul will no longer be able to challenge the previous ruling." The throwing of the challenge flag counts as such a delay.

All NFL turnovers and scoring plays are automatically reviewed, but throwing the flag results in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty which negates the review.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported that there's little question the league will change the rule before the 2013 season.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz knew the rule, but let his emotions rule, threw the flag and it could have cost the Lions the game. They lost 34-31 in overtime.

"(Schwartz) explained to us what the issue was with that. I didn't know that was a rule,'' quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "It's a tough one to swallow -- to give up an 80-yard touchdown run on a guy that went down.''

Texans running back Justin Forsett was tackled by Louis Delmas at Houston's 26-yard line. It's clear on the replay that Forsett's left knee and elbow were down. And, by rule, only one body part has to touch the field. Still, he got up and ran into the end zone untouched for an 81-yard play.

Schwartz had an explanation for why the Lions didn't keep playing until the whistle.

"In the NFL, there's not a lot of whistles. It's the God's honest truth,'' Schwartz said. "It's not like high school or anything else where they're blowing whistles as soon as guys are down. There's a lot of times where whistles don't get blown until late and with all the emphasis that's on ... and he was down.

"I mean, they saw him down on the field. If you go down and you dive on him and you hit him in the head with your head, you're getting a 15-yard penalty. So it puts defensive players in a tough position like that. Obviously he was down, but you can't blame that on the players. That's just the NFL and me blowing it by throwing the flag,'' Schwartz added.

Most players weren't aware of the rule until after it happened and Schwartz explained it to them on the sideline.

"It's unfortunate. It was obvious to everybody that the runner was down and obviously it cost us ...'' defensive tackle Kyle Vanden Bosch said.

Tight end Tony Scheffler said he didn't think it was the difference in the game.

"We had our chances, it's little stuff like that we've got to get past and I think this team has weathered, we've dealt with some adversity,'' Scheffler said. "I wouldn't blame that play for the game.''

Last season the Lions got into a pickle that cost them a touchdown in the final game when the Lions were at Green Bay.

Titus Young caught a pass in the end zone that was ruled incomplete. Replay showed Young had scored a touchdown, but coach Jim Schwartz couldn't get a review because he had run out of challenges.

The rule was changed for this season so that every scoring play is automatically reviewed -- unless, of course, the coach throws a challenge flag.